[TVMayor]

A fight over golf-cart access to The Villages is brewing and once again landowner Ron Brown is playing a leading role.

Brown owns property back by Lowe’s and lives on property near Bowersox Drive on the Historic Side of The Villages. Although Brown does not live in The Villages, he apparently wants access to The Villages.

In the summer of 2013, Habor Chase assisted living facility was being built on property Brown had sold. When Harbor Chase began touting itself as being golf cart accessible, a wall suddenly and mysteriously went up near Paradise Drive blocking golf cart access to non-Villagers. That wall was eventually taken down and replaced with a card-access gate.

A special Lady Lake Commission meeting on Brown’s latest legal maneuvering is set for 9 a.m. Thursday at Lady Lake Town Hall.

The issue was called to commissioners’ attention Monday night by Town Attorney Derek Schroth. At Monday’s meeting, Schroth and Commissioner Jim Richards, who had a long career in government engineering, both indicated they think the town is on solid legal footing as they brace for a potential legal battle with Brown.

Commissioners indicated they have no interest in seeing golf cart access to The Villages opened to outsiders.

From the you know who online paper.

[janmcn]

Here we go with another fight over the wall/gate. It's hard to tell from this short article if Mr Brown is only looking for golf cart access for himself, or does he have another development in the works for which he wants golf cart access?

Doesn't the golf cart access to Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc, still travel over Mr Brown's property? It seems that Mr Brown's recourse would be to stop all that traffic from crossing his property, and this would certainly upset a lot of residents of The Villages.

[TVMayor]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Here we go with another fight over the wall/gate. It's hard to tell from this short article if Mr Brown is only looking for golf cart access for himself, or does he have another development in the works for which he wants golf cart access?

Doesn't the golf cart access to Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc, still travel over Mr Brown's property? It seems that Mr Brown's recourse would be to stop all that traffic from crossing his property, and this would certainly upset a lot of residents of The Villages.

[graciegirl]

Mr. Mayor, Thank you for the heads up and the graphics. Helpful as always.

My view is that we don't need golf carts from surrounding areas. We have had 13 fatal golf cart accidents in the last four years.

[Taltarzac725]

Sounds like the worry is more about non-Villagers getting more access to using the Villages amenities-- pools, exercise places, sports equipment, etc-- by coming in using golf carts rather than cars.

There are some Veterans upset about lack of golf cart access to the Veterans Hospital up by Stonecrest. I would expect some Veterans can only get around via golf cart.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Sounds like the worry is more about non-Villagers getting more access to using the Villages amenities-- pools, exercise places, sports equipment, etc-- by coming in using golf carts rather than cars.

There are some Veterans upset about lack of golf cart access to the Veterans Hospital up by Stonecrest. I would expect some Veterans can only get around via golf cart.

And conversely, many residents on the historic side rely only on their golf carts for shopping and medical care along 441/27. If Mr Brown restricts access to his property, what recourse do these residents have?

It should be an interesting meeting tomorrow in Lady Lake.

[cologal]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Sounds like the worry is more about non-Villagers getting more access to using the Villages amenities-- pools, exercise places, sports equipment, etc-- by coming in using golf carts rather than cars.

There are some Veterans upset about lack of golf cart access to the Veterans Hospital up by Stonecrest. I would expect some Veterans can only get around via golf cart.

I thought the VA Clinic was in Mulberry Grove

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by cologal

I thought the VA Clinic was in Mulberry Grove

I remember that old discussion. The VA facility is in Mulberry Grove. I don't think people would spend that much time in inclimate weather in a golf cart from Stonecrest to Mulberry versus 5 minute transportation in warmth.

[golf2140]

Maybe the presure is on Mr. Brown. He sold that property as golf cart accessable and that didn't work our. Harbor Chase may be after Brown to honor that claim.

[DonH57]

Originally Posted by golf2140

Maybe the presure is on Mr. Brown. He sold that property as golf cart accessable and that didn't work our. Harbor Chase may be after Brown to honor that claim.

Very well may be but I don't know how he could have legally made the claim of permanent accessibilty.

[Warren Kiefer]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Sounds like the worry is more about non-Villagers getting more access to using the Villages amenities-- pools, exercise places, sports equipment, etc-- by coming in using golf carts rather than cars.

There are some Veterans upset about lack of golf cart access to the Veterans Hospital up by Stonecrest. I would expect some Veterans can only get around via golf cart.

As to outsiders using Villager amenity facilities. I have lived here for 17 years ans have NEVER known a outsider to intentionally sneak in to use our pools and such.

[jbdlfan]

Originally Posted by janmcn

Here we go with another fight over the wall/gate. It's hard to tell from this short article if Mr Brown is only looking for golf cart access for himself, or does he have another development in the works for which he wants golf cart access?

Doesn't the golf cart access to Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc, still travel over Mr Brown's property? It seems that Mr Brown's recourse would be to stop all that traffic from crossing his property, and this would certainly upset a lot of residents of The Villages.

My guess is that is EXACTLY what he'll do. He really wouldn't have much to lose by doing this. Unless I'm missing something....

[DonH57]

He very well could do that. It's his property. I think he has been very generous in allowing carts to pass so far.I think for liability reasons he's taking a risk doing it, but, hey.

[VT2TV]

I can't even imagine the mess it would be if the Villages opened up golf cart access to Mr. Brown. If they did that, I predict it would take less than a day for every area that is even remotely close to TV to start demanding that they also have golf cart accessibility too, and I wouldn't be surprised if they expected TV to pay for it. I really do unnderstand and sympathize with the Villagers who would possibly lose their access to Walmart and Lowe's. But even though it might be extremely inconvenient to not be able to go to there in their carts, the impact to the Village areas between 441 to 42 at Brownwood would have a larger impact on many more people. It is already so bad that TV has put up stop signs at some of the golf cart/car crossings to make them at least a 3 way stop. I believe we will see more of that because even this week, there were occassions when I was at least the 10th or 14th cart backed up at some crossings. If all of the local areas were to have golf cart access, I think you would see lots of backed up traffic. I have seen several golf carts (basically rigged up John Deere lawn carts with a small bed) that I suspect came from Wildwood. People from other areas had the same opportunity to live in TV and use the multimodal pathways, but since they chose not to do so, they can't cry now that they are entitled to use them. If we don't speak up, we can't complain later that it isn't right that the MM paths are so crowded that we can't use them.

BTW, although I am def. against outsiders using our pools, I don't think that is the biggest problem. But I have been here 4 years, and I have seen, and talked to 3 people from outside areas.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by Warren Kiefer

As to outsiders using Villager amenity facilities. I have lived here for 17 years ans have NEVER known a outsider to intentionally sneak in to use our pools and such.

Guess you haven't been around as I have been to see the 'outsiders' removed from the Webb Way hot tub when there was night availability. There's a lot in life that I have not seen - but I don't question that it never happened. In some cases, I am glad I have never been exposed to some things?